LOWELL, MA—UMass Lowell, held without a shot on goal in the opening half, roared back for a 3-1 non-conference men's victory over visiting NJIT Wednesday night on chilly, rainy, windswept Cushing Field.
 
The final non-conference game for each team was played on a night in northern Massachusetts that saw a steady rain with temperatures around 50 degrees with a constant wind above 20 miles per hour and gusts above 30 mph. As the game played out, all four goals were scored by the team playing with the powerful wind at its back, NJIT (6-5-4) in the first half and UMass Lowell (6-8-1) in the second half. UMass Lowell is 3-0-1 in its last four games and 4-1-1 in its last six.
 
NJIT scored first on a goal by Joshua Mercer, assisted by Victor Kausch, in the 14th minute.
 
The 1-0 lead held all the way to the 60:12 mark, when Wuilito Fernandes leveled the score on his UMass Lowell-best fifth goal of the season, as Guilherme Desousa assisted on the marker which was scored from 35 yards out.
 
The ultimate game-winner came on a penalty kick in the 75th minute for Homero Morais. The pk was whistled when Augusto Trento of the River Hawks was fouled in the penalty area and tumbled to the ground in what appeared to involve some dramatic embellishment, although there was certainly contact from an NJIT defender.
 
Guilherme Rodrigues removed all doubt for the River Hawks 4:24 from time on a goal assisted by Federico Ferre.
 
The impact of the wind on the game's momentum showed up in the shot totals in addition to the final score. Playing with the wind in the opening half, NJIT put five shots on goal, scoring once, while UMass Lowell did not manage a shot on goal in the first 45 minutes.
 
The tables flipped in the second half, with the River Hawks getting 13 total shots (five on goal), while NJIT managed just two shots on goal in the second half, despite trailing over the last 15 minutes and working hard looking for the equalizer that never came. In fact, the late insurance goal for UML came after the Highlanders got caught pushing forward in a futile bid for a second goal.
 
UMass Lowell freshman goalkeeper Austin Kroll finished with six saves to chalk up the win, while Highlander freshman Max Bradhe, making his first start after coming on for less than 5 minutes as a sub back on September 6, was credited with two saves on Wednesday night.
 
The game at UMass Lowell was the final non-conference game of 2014 for each side and both coaches appeared to manage their personnel with an eye on conference play.
 
NJIT's regular choice in goal, Christian Foust, rested for the first time this season, while senior leading scorer Marko Drljic, who has been dealing with nagging leg  injuries, sat out entirely along with recuperating center fullback Jonathan Onyeaka, who has missed the last two games after starting the first 12. He hurt his leg and left a 1-1 tie against Central Connecticut a week ago.
 
On the other side, two of UMass Lowell's three second-half goals were scored by men who usually start, but did not play until the second half against NJIT.
 
NJIT got on the board with the third goal of the year for Mercer, assisted by Victor Kausch. The goal, which ties Mercer with two others for the team lead, came when he took the pass from Kausch and hit the ball on a sliding approach from a spot to the left of the penalty spot, knocking the shot inside the far post.
 
Fernandes tied the score just over 15 minutes into the second half. Taking advantage of the gusting win, Fernandes shot a long half-volley through the rain from 35 yards out and it flew into the back of the net over the head of the NJIT keeper Bradhe.
 
Trento of the River Hawks drew the whistle for a penalty kick in the 75th minute and Morais took the penalty kick. Bradthe guessed correctly on the shot's direction of the shot, diving to his right and getting a hand on it. But it trickled over the goal line and inside the post for the go-ahead goal.
 
Rodrigues put the win on ice just at 85:36, scoring from 10 yards out after a couple of River Hawk passes in the final 20.
 
NJIT will play its remaining three regular season games in the Sun Belt Conference, followed by the Sun Belt championship tournament hosted by Georgia Southern in Statesboro from November 13 to 16.
 
UMass Lowell, 3-0-1 in its last four and 4-1-1 in the last six, is not yet eligible to play in its conference postseason tournament. But the River Hawks will play three America East Conference regular season games to close out the 2014 schedule.
 
NJIT's next contest is Saturday at 5 pm, when the Highlanders host Howard on Senior Night, the final home match of the year, on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium. NJIT will honor its five seniors (Matija Blazic, Jason Chippy, DJ Diveny, Drljic, and Cristian Marcel) in pre-match ceremonies ahead of the 5 pm kickoff.
 
The game vs. Howard will be the third of five Sun Belt Conference regular season games for NJIT, which defeated Georgia State at home, 2-1 in overtime on October 11 and lost a week later at Hartwick, 1-0.